Additional income must be closely linked to the capacity and work efficiency of each individual
This is a policy that receives great attention as Hanoi is entering the operation phase of the two-level government model with an increasingly large workload and increasingly high service quality requirements. According to the draft submission of the Hanoi People's Committee, increasing income for the public sector is necessary to ensure life, create motivation and retain capable human resources in the context of streamlining the payroll but increasing tasks.
The draft identifies beneficiaries including cadres, civil servants, and public employees in State agencies, political organizations, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, and public service units whose regular expenditures are guaranteed by the city budget. Some units proposed expanding specific labor groups in public service units with the reason that they directly perform community service tasks, have a large workload and often work in high pressure environments. The drafting agency said that this proposal is being compiled and evaluated on feasibility, budget resources as well as compliance with current regulations before submitting to the People's Council for consideration.
A notable point of the draft is that the payment of additional income must be closely linked to the capacity and work efficiency of each individual, assessed and responsible by the head of the unit. This is to ensure objectivity and transparency and avoid leveling as some previous allowance policies. The expected expenditure level is calculated according to the basic salary fund of each agency and unit, multiplied by the coefficient decided by the City People's Council. In 2026, the expected source of allocation is 0.8 times the basic salary fund. The expenditure source is taken from the remaining salary reform of the budget at all levels after fully ensuring social security policies and other mandatory spending tasks.
The policy is built in the context of a sharp increase in the workload at administrative agencies and public service units. Meanwhile, the reality over the years shows that the lives of a number of cadres and civil servants still face many difficulties, especially at the commune and ward levels - where most of the administrative procedures are directly contacted and resolved for the people. Many people have to consider leaving the public sector because their salary does not ensure family life, causing a shortage of experienced human resources in the apparatus.
Positive changes
The story of Ms. Nguyen Phuong Dung - a statistical office worker in a ward in Hanoi clearly shows this. Having been attached to the job since 2010, it was not until 2022 that she officially passed the payroll exam. With a starting salary of coefficient 2.34 plus allowances, her income is only over VND5 million/month - an amount that is not enough to cover the cost of raising two young children in the context of rising prices. The low salary made me think about finding another job to earn a better income, Ms. Dung shared. From January 1, 2026, when receiving an additional VND3 million/month as a new additional income payment level, Ms. Dung said that she was more excited and felt recognized, and was clearly aware of the responsibility to strive harder to be worthy of the citys preferential policies.
Similarly, Ms. Ha - accountant of Son Dong commune said that with a salary coefficient of 3.66, an additional income of more than 4 million VND/month is a great support to help her reduce the pressure of raising her two children. When the family deduction according to the Law on Personal Income Tax was proposed to increase from 11 million to 15.5 million VND/month, Ms. Ha frankly said: "Current income is only over 14 million VND, not enough to support myself, so how can I raise two children". Therefore, the additional increase helps grassroots cadres - the department that is most pressured - to work with peace of mind.
The City People's Committee believes that the additional income spending policy is in line with the Central's salary reform orientation, while demonstrating Hanoi's proactive spirit in using budget resources appropriately to encourage productivity and labor efficiency. The city also said that it will build a strict and public monitoring mechanism to ensure payment to the right subjects, to the right work results and to avoid policy abuse.
National Assembly delegate Nguyen Van Than - Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises - emphasized that increasing income for civil servants is not only an "additional expense" but an investment in the quality of national governance. A co-spent to improve the lives of civil servants is an investment in cleanliness, efficiency and people's trust in the public administration, Mr. Than affirmed.
Dr. Tran Anh Tuan - Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Administrative Sciences, former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs - said that in recent years, the team of civil servants has had positive changes, demonstrated in their capacity, responsibility and the spirit of being ready to work overtime when necessary. He said that when policies on attracting talent, training high-quality human resources and reforming public services are effectively implemented, the apparatus will operate more modernly and smoothly, while mobilizing maximum State and social resources for the development of the capital.
